By Chike Olisah
The Lagos State Government has warned that people who are drilling boreholes in the Lekki axis of the state are probably drinking ‘shit water’.
This was made known by the Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services and Water Resources in Lagos State, Mahmood Adegbite, while speaking at a stakeholders’ meeting recently.
Adegbite pointed out that contaminated boreholes in Lekki pose a health risk and added that the treatment of wastewater would eradicate any form of disease that may arise from it.
He, however, noted that if the state government is able to treat all the wastewater within that axis, it will be able to eradicate any form of disease that might result from the non-treatment of the waste.
What the Lagos State official is saying
Adegbite said, ‘’Good morning, just to add to Mr. Chairman, sir, deputy sir, if you recall, you chaired the meeting we had on the challenges along the coastal road, the flooding challenges. So it is one of the major things we are hoping to resolve, and also yesterday it rained heavily, which is unusual because this is supposed to be the August break. However, we started having it because of a lot of complex issues.
‘’So basically, in terms of flooding, despite the fact that we have committed so much, however, we still need a lot to do in that space. Presently, also, on waste water treatment, I will say that everyone digging a borehole within the Lekki axis is probably drinking what I will call ‘Shit water’
‘’However, if we are able to treat all the wastewater within this axis, which we have plans for, we should be able to also eradicate any form of disease that might result as a result of non-treatment of our waste”
You should move now
In a related development, the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, had warned Lekki, Ikorodu, and Ajegunle residents about flooding, urging them to move.
He explained that, as a coastal city, Lagos remains vulnerable to the effects of climate change and is expected to experience flash flooding this year.
Wahab said, “Those around the Ajilete axis of Lagos, that’s Ajegunle, must move. Those around the coastline of Ikorodu, Majidu, have to move. Some areas around the Lekki corridor, too, not all. Epe had always been safe, Mushin will be safe, Ikeja will be safe.’’
The commissioner also urged residents of Isheri in the OPIC area to remain vigilant, warning that, according to projections by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), the state is expected to experience heavier rainfall this year compared to last year.
What you should know
The Lagos State Government had always warned against the indiscriminate sinking of boreholes, as well as implementing regulations and enforcement measures to ensure safe water consumption and protect groundwater resources.
This includes requiring permits for drilling and potentially charging fees, particularly for commercial users. The state is also concerned about water contamination from unregulated borehole drilling and is working to address this issue.
The state government, through the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LSWRC), had cautioned operators in the borehole drilling industry against operating without the requisite licence or permit from the State government.
